Week 2

Today in class, we watched bits and pieces to the movie, “Erin Brockovich”. Where in this story, a lady (Erin Brockovich) goes to work for a law firm, where she starts off as a filing assistant. Then through hard work, determination, and going beyond her “call of duty” she digs up massive amounts of useful information on PG&E proving that they not only had dangerous chemicals in the water they were supplying people, but that they also knew about it, and lied about it.

The chemical in the water they were providing to people was known as Chromium-6.  “The chemical comes chiefly from industrial pollution – it's used for production of stainless steel, textile dyes, wood preservation, leather tanning and as an anti-corrosive” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/california-drinking-water_n_1777732.)

PG&E used this chemical as part of their water production process; subsequently, it caused many people to become ill with horrible diseases like cancer, consequently, leading to a massive lawsuit against the company.

“In 1996 PG&E settled the case for $333 million. This was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States. The lawyers received forty percent, which was a little over $133 million. As in the film, attorney Ed Masry rewarded Erin Brockovich with a $2 million bonus. The more than 600 Hinkley plaintiffs, many of whom had become seriously ill, were in the end left with $196 million to be divided between them. On average, each victim received $300,000.” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195685/faq#.2.1.4)

I believe the amount awarded seems fair, however I wonder if the amount that the firm kept (133 million) was too much. Yes I think the firm should be awarded for the work they did, but where is the line between greed and reward drawn?